Being able to see, touch and test tile samples in a space has always been important for architects and designers, but it is often cumbersome for architectural representatives to tote around large samples, and difficult for designers to store them in small studio spaces. Despite the heft of the overall boards, the actual tile pieces were typically too small to really get a sense for what a full installation might look like.

Daltile, a brand of Dal-Tile, has introduced a new sample tool tailor-made for architects and designers. The Daltile Library Box optimizes space on shelves and maximizes the ability to quickly preview and specify product, according to the company. They took a hint from a hack architectural representatives were already using -- shoe boxes to carry 4- x 4-inch samples -- as inspiration for a new design.

The new Daltile sample kits house 2- x 6- and 4- x 6-inch pieces mounted to small rectangular boards that provide product technical information in a clear, concise layout. Several boards can fit snuggly inside a shoe-box size container that is easy to transport to client visits, and small enough for designers to keep on hand in their library, a welcome change to traditional architectural binders.

Daltile is arming their representatives with boxes over the next few months and hope to duplicate the design for all new product launches moving forward.

For more information, visit Daltile.com, or to get more inspiration for your own project, visit the From the Floor Up blog at http://blogs.daltile.com.